Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is described as a modified, smaller cardiopulmonary bypass circuit. The veno-venous (VV) ECMO circuit drains venous blood, oxygenate the blood, and pump the blood back into the same venous compartment. Draining and reinfusing in the same compartment means there are a risk of recirculation. The draining position within the venous system, ECMO pump flow, return flow position within the venous system and the patients cardiac output (CO) all have an impact on recirculation. Using two single lumen cannulas or one dual lumen cannula, but also the design of the venous cannula, can have an impact on where within the venous system the cannula is draining blood and will affect the efficiency of the ECMO circuit. VV ECMO can be performed with different cannulation strategies. The use of two single lumen cannulas draining in inferior vena cava (IVC) and reinfusing in superior vena cava (SVC) or draining in SVC and reinfusing in IVC, or one dual lumen cannula inserted in right jugular vein is all possible cannulation strategies. Independent of cannulation strategy there will be a risk of recirculation. Efficiency can be reasonable in either strategy if the cannulas are carefully positioned and monitored during the dynamic procedure of pulmonary disease. The disadvantage draining from IVC only occurs when there is a need for converting from VV to veno-arterial (VA) ECMO, reinfusing in the femoral artery. Then draining from SVC is the most efficient strategy, draining low saturated venous blood, and also means low risk of dual circulation.

Venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, indicated for severe cardio-respiratory failure, may result in anatomic regional differences in oxygen saturation. This depends on cannulation, hemodynamic state, and severity of respiratory failure. Differential hypoxemia, often discrete, may cause clinical problems in peripheral femoro-femoral venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, when the upper body is perfused with low saturated blood from the heart and the lower body with well-oxygenated extracorporeal membrane oxygenation blood. The key is to diagnose and manage fulminant differential hypoxemia, that is, a state that may develop where the upper body is deprived of oxygen. We summarize physiology, assessment of diagnosis, and management of fulminant differential hypoxemia during venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. A possible solution is implantation of an additional jugular venous return cannula. In this article, we propose an even better solution, to drain the venous blood from the superior vena cava. Drainage from the superior vena cava provides superiority to venovenoarterial configuration in terms of physiological rationale, efficiency, safety, and simplicity in clinical circuit design.

Veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) is used for support in patients with severe respiratory failure. The method allows extracorporeal gas exchange and may replace the patient's lung function for weeks and even years. ECMO is not a contraindication for lung transplant. The most important factor for a good outcome is the physiological status of the patient when accepted for transplantation. Ambulatory ECMO makes it possible for the patient to exercise and walk, and provides the best outcome for high risk patients in severe respiratory failure. Ambulatory ECMO is safe in the hands of skilled personnel and prevents critical illness neuropathy and myopathy during prolonged treatments in the intensive care unit.